Winter will not die here. It keeps coming back like a zombie. So I guess I have an excuse to stay inside and play more video games!
Steam has introduced week long deals, joining their weekend/midweek madness sales and daily deals. These don’t seem to be advertised as openly as the other deals that are easily found on the front page. This week, Tropico 4and all of its DLCs are on sale. If you’re a huge fan of Tropico 3 or you are waiting for the SimCity servers to finally start working (yeah, I just went there!), check out Tropico 4. I highly recommend purchasing the Collector’s Bundle. For an extra $2.50, you get all the DLC. Modern Times is a must purchase for the game and is worth $4.99 on its own.
The weekend deals is Football Manager 2013, a staple management sim that puts players behind the soccer bench. It’s 50% off, definitely on the low end of the pricing spectrum as far as this game goes. Personally, I’m not a huge football fan, so I couldn’t appreciate the series enough to play for any length of time. But it is definitely a dense, information heavy game. If you plan on buying it, skip down to Greenman Gaming, as they have a cheaper offer. The Max Payne franchise is on sale this weekend for 66% off. Max Payne 3 and all of its DLCs is at some of its lowest prices yet. I would skip on buying Max Payne 1 and 2 as its gone down to 75% before. I enjoyed Max Payne 3, although I wasn’t a huge fan of the bright colours of the Brazil. Check out our review of Max Payne 3 here.
Greenman Gaming has some interesting titles on sale this weekend. They are running another 20% off coupon, make sure you use GMG20-P4DLK-FKYRS at checkout! Football Manager 2013 is also 50% off this weekend, when bundled with the 20% off coupon, its a much better deal than Steam’s offer. Tripwire Interactive’s two big shooters are both 75% off this weekend. Killing Floor is their undead slaughtering co op shooter. If you enjoy Left 4 Dead’s defensive finales and aren’t so hot on the moving from place to place parts, Killing Floor is probably for you. They’ve recently introduced Steam Workshop which definitely squeezes some extra mileage out of the game. Red Orchestra 2 is also on sale for 75%. If you’re looking for a hyper realistic shooter but find Arma II’s controls are too overwhelming, Red Orchestra 2 is an excellent choice. From Dust is also 75% off. Its an excellent atmospheric game cripped by some pretty frustrating DRM. Bulletstorm is also 60% off at Greenman Gaming this weekend. I really enjoyed the single player portion of Bulletstorm. Its extremely crass, ridiculous, and utterly fun. I wouldn’t have recommended it at full price, but is definitely worth it at 66% off.Check out all of Greenman Gaming’s weekend sales here.
Speaking of Arma, Arma III‘s alpha began this week. Bohemia Interactive is taking a page out of the Minecraft playbook and offering the alpha and beta versions of the game at a steep discount. Those who purchase during the alpha will be charged $32.99 USD and will have access to the alpha, beta, and full game. Those who buy during the beta will pay $44.99 and then the game will be $59.99 on release. Arma III is still a dense military simulator, but the controls have been simplified in comparison the Arma II, feeling a bit closer to the newer Operation Flashpoint games. If you find Battlefield 3 is still too arcade like for your tastes or you enjoyed Red Orchestra 2, I highly recommend Arma III. Right now the alpha is still very glitchy, features are still missing, and the game only ships with 4 gameply demos, but it also comes with a full scenario editor and modding functionality built in. Buy early, save yourself some dough!
Origin is running a Mass Effect anniversary sale. All three games are steeply discounted, and the the whole trilogy can be purchased for $25.00. I’ve been dragging my heels on playing Mass Effect 3, but Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2 easily make my favourite games of all time list. I highly recommend the series.
Get Games is running a Strategy Sale this weekend. There are a ton of strategy games on sale, both big and small. Bigger names include Heroes of Might and Magic VI Gold Edition, RUSE, and Disciples III all for 75% off. Most of the gamers are older titles, so they can almost all be had for $7.49 or less each.
Headphones, Mixamps, and Bags clearly weren’t enough for Astro Gaming. Astro announced their brand new line of t-shirts, hoodies, bags, and hats for men and women today. The line is built from premium materials to survive what ever adventure you engage in. “We’ve long felt that many other popular pastimes, activities and sports have entire industries devoted to providing unique attire to their faithful – attire that says, “I belong to this group!” Unfortunately, there is no such equivalent in the gaming world,” said Aron Drayer, Director of Marketing, ASTRO Gaming. “We want to change that. We’re aiming to provide gamers with comfortable and unique looks that function just as well in or out of the house — products that can function as accessories and look good while doing it.”
Not a fan of headphones? Tired of your phone or tablet’s crappy little speaker? Divoom has started pre-orders for their new Bluetooth enabled speakers designed for mobile gamers.
The Divoom ONBEAT-X1 speakers is a portable speaker that accepts input via 3.5mm audio cable or Bluetooth and is available in black or white. It can be attached to any hard and flat surface with three suction cups built into the bottom of the server. It features a “Vibration Bases” feature that will allow the bass to vibrate the speaker. The lithium ion battery is rated for eight hours of continuous use and recharges via micro usb.
Pre-order a ONBEAT-X1 at Amazon here. The speakers will ship on March 27th and costs $39.99.
Hellsing Ultimate Collection 1 Blu-Ray
Studio: Gonzo
Publisher: Madman Entertainment
Release Date: Out now
Price: $59.95 Available here
Overview
Hellsing is an anime series about all things supernatural. Vampire lords, crazily religious regenerators, zombies, ghouls and every other many of nasty creature that goes bump in the night. Based on the widely popular Manga series of the same title, Hellsing has seen two different anime incarnations in recent years: The original anime run by the same name, and the later OVA collection labelled as ‘Hellsing Ultimate’ (similar to Full Metal Alchemist and FMA: Brotherhood.) Amongst fans, Hellsing Ultimate is still widely regarded to be the superior of the two incarnations. Featuring the first four fifty-minute length OVA’s of the series, Hellsing Ultimate Collection 1 offers itself as the perfect introductory collection to the series. If you think that the good and terrifying name of vampires have been desecrated in recent memory by a book and movie franchise that shall remain nameless *coughtwlightcough*, then Hellsing Ultimate promises to restore that faith.
Story
The plot of Hellsing Ultimate is set in a universe where monsters run rampant throughout the world, and a mysterious organisation manipulating is powers beyond the average man’s mortal understanding. The only organisation that can keep this madness in check is the order of Protestant Knights, Hellsing, and their secret weapon: a vampire named Alucard.
From the very first episode, viewers will see that Alucard is not your average bloodsucker. Unlike many of his kin, he willingly follows the orders of humans, and protects them rather than hunt them. He drinks donated blood out of blood packs and doesn’t take pleasure in killing humans. (Well, okay, that’s not technically true. He very clearly enjoys his job when it involves killing of non-innocents.) He is also absurdly powerful gun-wielding hunter whose mentality borders on madness. Honour bound to the Hellsing organisation, Alucard travels the world taking care of any problems of a supernatural nature as their number one field agent.
We are later introduced to a number of other key players within the organisation, including Hellsing’s leader, an ex-vampire hunter turned housekeeper, a former policewoman turned vampire fledgling and a French gun-for-hire who runs support for the rest of the group. However, it is revealed that Hellsing are not the only organisation using super powered individuals to their advantage. The Catholic Church and their Iscariot organisation also have their own secret weapons, chief among them Father Anderson, a warrior priest with supernatural powers, and Alucard’s main rival of the series. With the relationship between the two groups strenuous at best, a sudden surge in supernatural incidents and crimes leads them to uncover a sinister plot by another particularly famous historical regime that would see the world plunged into chaos.
The collection takes on a violently unique look at both supernatural legend, and the belief systems of several dominant religious organisations. The series isn’t afraid to challenge the notion of classic good vs. evil, and is quite happy when it comes to venturing into religiously blasphemous territory. All four episodes feature numerous instances of pure, bloody mayhem. To the kind of fans who grin wildly at over-the-top moments of violence coupled with purely badass execution of said violence, then this is certainly a series for you. Hellsing does a great job at making this excessive level of violence just seem downright COOL.
The namesake of the series ‘Hellsing’ is derived from the name of the founder of the Hellsing organisation, the famous vampire hunter who defeated Dracula in legend (or Alucard in this case.) Speaking of Alucard, he is easily one of the show’s selling points. He was voted Best Male Character for the Japanese Animation Awards in 2008, and watching this first collection, it’s pretty apparent why he’s so popular. His personality quite deep and complex, displaying a side that’s honourable, philosophical and well mannered, while at the same time sadistic, arrogant and violently gleeful. His abilities are powerful and unique, but not without limitations, and the execution of his job he performs with a just the right mix of satisfaction, joy and madness.
Visual
Hellsing Ultimate has really come far in terms of its graphic evolution from the original Hellsing anime release. The character detailing is a significant improvement over the original with much better defined colours, outlines and animation flows. Environments are highlighted as dark and edgy with stark colours to help differentiate the significant colours and styles of the foreground. The visual quality of the Blu-Ray release even improves over the original with a sharper and clearer picture quality that really makes the visual stand out, especially the special effects. The entirety of the collection invokes a mood of darkness, best expressed through the abundance of long and over-cast shadows in environments and more often than not having said shadows juxtaposed by pools of recently split blood.
Character designs are animated particularly well too, with many of the lead cast featuring distinctive looks and features. Up-close shots really make an effort to accentuate facial expressions to convey emotion on the parts of the characters. Most often this is evident in Alucard’s mad grins, the monstrous teeth of vampire feasting scenes and in the fear in the faces of those to be feasted upon. Alucard’s predominantly red attire truly stands out in a dark and gritty sort of fashion, whereas other characters like the light hearted Seras portray a brighter and more wacky visual style that compliments her role as comedic relief in the series.
A tip for parents, you REALLY want to check the OLFC rating on this one, because when the rating says “Strong Violence”, don’t take it as a suggestion. It genuinely means it. Hellsing Ultimate is one bloody piece of entertainment. The level of violence is not what you call realistic, but this works to the shows favour. Over the top violence works well when it does not invoke realism to the extent that it makes the audience nauseous or queasy. The typical violent scene, probably best accentuated in episode 2 involve cuts, gashes and explosions that reduce many to clouds and pools of red, but no exposure to ultra realistic elements like bones and torn flesh.
Audio
It must be said straight off the bat that Crispin Freeman’s voice work as Alucard is nothing short of spectacular. The characterisation of this sadistic, bloodthirsty protagonist in voice alone is intimidating. As the lead character, his voice carries traces of the similar theme of madness and mayhem held throughout whilst still retaining quite a lot of sophistication and charm. As a whole, performances like this are why SUB fans are missing out. The rest of the cast are also very well adapted into English, with the exception of a few odd lines that are more likely than not a simple case of poor translation.
The musical quality is also quite good, though nothing that will blow the minds of the viewers. The music often has a dark swing put on the events of the plot, which work in tandem with the shadowy visuals quite well. Vocal tracks are often well implemented to compliment the religious undertone of many of the action scenes, particularly the ones that occur involving Iscariot and situations of divinity. Alucard’s own theme is a well-paced, sophisticated sounding Jazz piece which belies his sadistic and violent side. The track still compliments his character very well based on his characterisation as the series protagonist. The main theme of the collection is an interesting similar sounding jazz piece with a spooky vocal undertone, providing a fantastic atmosphere of foreboding violence, which is sure to ensue.
Extras
Hellsing Ultimate boasts quite the extras package in the Blu-ray release. Special features include many of your standard Madman release pieces, like promotional trailers, Japanese commercials and extensive commentaries by the English dub cast. However, this collection also contains a number of other surprisingly entertaining bonus features. Chief among them is a karaoke version of the Major’s speech from Episode four. Having this villainous rant played for us in song is pure delight, even if a bit oddly uncomfortable considering the subject matter of the lyrics. The extra section also features a recorded panel event from Anime Expo 2007, where the English voice cast addressed fan questions and performed their VA duties in signing and stopping for photographs. The extra section also includes a Geneon Booth section which takes viewers on something of a virtual tour of the Hellsing mansion, explaining its history and significance to the story.
Overall
Hellsing Ultimate is undoubtedly a series that appeals to a certain kind of anime fan. The series as a whole is a complete rollercoaster of madness and mayhem. The kind that where you can’t help but laugh maniacally when you see the lead character tear down scores of pitiful resistance. The comedy to action to drama ratio is very well balanced in this series. Sometimes it will make you gasp. Other times it will make you chuckle. But most of the time it will make you grin and laugh with Alucard-esque fervour. The series is undoubtedly enjoyable, and it will make you feel just the tiniest bit disturbed and guilty for thinking so. A thoroughly entertaining descent into madness and violence as a whole, Hellsing Ultimate is definitely one collection that you should check out and bring out a little of that inner insanity.
Hell on Earth has arrived. And his name is Alucard.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph received a major content update today. Flight Command is the latest mini-game added to the iOS game, joining Fix-it Felix Jr, Hero’s Duty, Sweet Climber, and Turbo Time. Flight Command marks the fifth stop at Game Central Station and sends players down tunnels at high speeds in a space ship, blasting away at obstacles to go the distance for the high scores.
Wreck-It Ralph is a love story to a generation that has grown up playing video games. The film raked in $435 million in theatres. The Australian and New Zealand DVD and BluRay release of Wreck-It Ralph will be on April 24th, 2013. Check out Wreck-It Ralph for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch here.
Chillingo’s latest game was released to the iTunes App Store today. Fury of the Gods puts the power of the Greek gods into the hands of players. The puny little mortals have rebelled and have begun trashing temples with reckless abandon. Players will take command of the powers associated with the likes of the three brother deities, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades to unleash holy terror upon the humans and stop the destruction of their temples. The game features 3 full tower defense campaigns and simple tap controls. The graphics are powered by the Unreal Engine.
The game costs $0.99 and is available on the iTunes App Store here.
You may recall a certain Kickstarter that ended about eleven months ago for a game called Shadowrun Returns. Well, the developers behind the game, Harebraned Schemes have chosen today to release their first alpha gameplay footage for the title in a twenty minute long gameplay video.
In the video we see how the combat and exploration will look and the overall feel of the game and it is interesting to note that these levels seem to have been built with the in-game level editor which will be included with the PC and Mac versions of Shadowrun Returns. Currently the title is aiming for release sometime this summer on PC, Mac, Linux, iPad, and Android tablets.
It looks like the long run of Dance Central DLC will also be coming to an end. Just a little while ago it was revealed that Harmonix would stop releasing Rock Band DLC after 275 straight weeks of content and now today it has been announced that Dance Central’s DLC support will be ending.
Not for lack of a library however, as there are now over 200 tracks available for the game. Anyways, Harmonix says that they are moving forward with “several new titles” and are choosing to focus on those instead of continuing to support some of these older games. While a sad end for those who love the games, these fans can still look forward to whatever Harmonix has coming down the pipe.
Welcome back for this week’s iOS Game Suggestions. If you missed last week’s, or are new to the suggestions, click on the link below and check out what cool games you should be picking up for your iOS device along with the introduction on how the suggestions work. (suggestions 1 has how it all works)
A great week on iTunes! As always, it started slow and but ended with a bang! There are many must-buy games this week in all departments, FREE, 99c and over 99c. This week I’ve suggested a total of 20 great quality titles. Make sure you check them all especially… Journey To Hell, Liberation Maiden, Sonic Dash, Dojo Danger, Fury Of The Gods, Samurai vs Zombies Defense 2 just to name a few.
Break down below :
6 – FREE Games
6 – $0.99c Games
8 – Over $0.99c Games
As always for this week’s suggestions are all new titles that you should take a look at and consider spending your hard earned iTunes cash / time on. Well the Free games just below certainly should all be given a shot as they won’t cost you anything!
For The Cheapskates – FREE GAMES
Another Dragon – Price : FREE – Publisher –Softnyx Co. (You were able to play all Worlds of Another Dragon after paying USD1.99. The Open World item is free from v1.2! Anybody can play all Worlds for free. Please update if you have the version below v1.1 or download again if you felt overstretched with the payment!) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Touch Tanks 5 Online – Price : FREE – Publisher –Flipside5 (The most popular online tank combat game on iPhone and iPad!! Download and get 750 tank credits for FREE! Online Tank combat over Cellular or Wi-Fi! The best MultiPlayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game on iOS. Command your tank to victory against players worldwide in multiple 3D battlefields.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Samurai vs Zombies Defense 2 – Price : FREE – Publisher –Glu Games (The Samurai is back… and he’s brought friends! Play as the heroic Samurai, the deadly Kunoichi Assassin, and the stalwart Armored Ronin to defend your village against even nastier hordes of brutal zombies and demons! Recruit allies, build defenses, and recover sacred Artifacts to stop them!) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Nano War – Strategy & Cell Conquest – Price : FREE – Publisher –Chugulu Games (Join the nanoscopic war and command immune cells. Save the human body from the three viruses that have infected human cells. Plan your strategy to fight against the infected cells led by AI. Capture multiple cell types and develop your own plans of attack.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
The Ories: Super Space Monsters – Price : FREE – Publisher – Assyria Game Studio(Embark on an EPIC 36 Level ADVENTURE across 3 UNIQUE alien galaxies in one of the most INNOVATIVE and content rich mobile games availab) on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Flick Kick Football Kickoff – Price : FREE – Publisher –PikPok (Set in the Golden Age of Football greatness, see if you have what it takes to score the winning goal with the flick of your finger! Curve, lob, drive and shoot the ball from all over the pitch! Kick It Old School!) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
For The Bargain Hunters – 99c Games
Fury Of The Gods – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Chillingo (Wield the power of a god in your fingertips. Your once faithful followers have revolted against you by renouncing their faith and tearing down your temples. Unleash your wrath with the Almighty Finger and smite those heathens down!) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Wide Sky – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Marcus Eckert (For a marine mammal, the hedgehog spends a disconcerting amount of time on land. What do they want, what are they up to? Hedgehogs are troubled spirits, and yet, they never fail to entertain the masses with their acrobatic feats. Many people don’t know, however, that hedgehogs aren’t born this way. Hedgehogs need to be trained and molded into the tiny, fiscally responsible acrobats we know and love.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Knitted Deer – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Cresent Moon Games (The first game that is fully knitted – Knitted Deer! Play as a Deer on your sweater with multiple powerups – in a land of hostile creatures and obstacles. This runner is unique and original – you definitely have never seen a game like this before!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Outland Games – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Uber Entertainment (You’ve been volunteered for a one way trip to the Outlands to entertain millions in the latest craze of televised combat running. Run, slash, and jump your way to victory through exotic locations, deadly robots, and ever increasing acrobatic scenarios. Collect mega loot and dazzle the crowd with elaborate costumes and weapons. If you manage to stay alive, there’s a slight chance, you MIGHT win your freedom.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Roll: Boulder Smash – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – All Things Media (Boulders yearn to smash! And this one’s been locked away for too long. Dish out
destruction on the Aliens, Vikings, Cowboys and Zombie King.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Dojo Danger – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Kihon Games (Dojo Danger is a top-down action strategy game reminiscent of old-school marbles infused with super powers, deadly traps, and kinetic power-ups! Choose from over 30 characters to create your team of Ninjas or Zombies. Each character comes equipped with their own special ability and unique play-style.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
For The Millionaires – All games over $0.99
MasterAbbott’s over 99c Pick Of The Week!
Journey To Hell – Price : $4.49 – Publisher – Bulkypix (Journey to Hell is set in a world spiraling into decline, where all manner of demons are on the prowl to feed their appetite for human flesh. Fortunately, a secret organization operating under the name of the “Holy Shield” has been keeping a watchful eye on mankind. The Holy Shield has been fighting demonkind since time immemorial in an attempt to maintain the balance between the forces of good and evil on Earth.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Usagi Yojimbo – Way Of The Ronan – Price : $3.99 – Publisher – Happy Giant (Usagi Yojimbo: Way of the Ronin is the new game based on the classic comic by Stan Sakai. Travel with Miyamoto Usagi on an epic journey, battling over 50 enemies and 13 boss monsters pulled right from the comics! Wield the legendary sword Grasscutter as you travel across feudal Japan in a tale to restore order to the land.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Liberation Maiden– Price : $4.49 – Publisher – Level-5 (100 years in the future, players take the role of Shoko Ozora, a high school student who steps into the role of President of New Japan after her father’s assassination. With her country all but taken by fierce invaders wielding advanced weaponry, Shoko rides out on her Liberator, Kamui, to free her people and restore the once beautiful nation!) runs on iPad. BUY NOW
Metal Slug X– Price : $4.49 – Publisher – SNK Playmore (“METAL SLUG X” is an updated version of “METAL SLUG 2” with a lot of new elements for even more fun and excitement! Bosses and other enemy characters await you at different points on the battlefield, so that even players who have perfected the previous installment will enjoy this new and improved game map! Shoot down your enemies with new weapons!!New weapons, such as the “Iron Lizard” (remote-controlled missiles), the “Drop Shot” (bouncing landmines), and the “Enemy Chaser” (homing missiles), have been added to the impressive METAL SLUG arsenal.) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Cling! – Price : $2.99 – Publisher – First5 Games (Cling is an action peg-former that takes place in a child’s vending machine. The star of our story is Edgar, a toy that has received the honor of having an owner. Unfortunately, his capsule broke on the way out and he is now trapped, While making his escape, Edgar must avoid certain death at the hands of the ever popular video game hazards: Spikes, falls, and electricity.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Sonic Dash – Price : $1.99 – Publisher – SEGA (How far can the world’s fastest hedgehog run? Play as Sonic the Hedgehog as you dash, jump and spin your way across stunning 3D environments. Swipe your way over and under challenging obstacles in this fast and frenzied endless running game for iPad, iPad mini, iPhone & iPod touch.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Monster Meltdown – Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Ambient Studios. (Yuri is a janitor on a mission: His monsters have escaped and they’re too dumb to survive in the Lab on their own. Help Yuri rescue them all in 80 levels of brain-twisting, reaction-bending, space-warping fun! Just touch to teleport!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Block Fortress– Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Foursaken Media (Build your fortress, and defend it to the end! Block Fortress gives you the freedom to create a stronghold in almost any way you can imagine, and then puts you in the middle of the action trying to defend it from the relentless attacks of the menacing Goblocks! Put your skills as both a builder and a fighter to the test as you try to survive as long as you can!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
There you have it folks these games should keep you busy for quite some time well until next week at least. I’ll be back next week for another dose of iOS goodness, in the meantime if you would also like to suggest your own suggestions, please feel free to share them in the comments section below or in the iOS forum section on the site here.
Les Miserables has come in the form of a video game with the release of Les Miserables: Cosette’s Fate. Coming from Anuman Interactive’s line of Microids games, the game will feature Cosette, the daughter of Fantine, as the player character trying to escape from the innkeepers that mistreat her while her mother is away.
Les Miserables: Cosette’s Fate is to be the first in a new generation of hidden object/adventure games from Microids which will feature more animation, interactivity, and an interface that is meant to optimize the experience. Players will also be able to move from scene to scene to collect together different items to use them together or in other scenes, as well as a variety of minigames throughout. There will also be facts for players to find about the novel itself and its writer to find.
Les Miserables: Cosette’s Fate is currently available now from the iOS App Store for $2.99 on iPad HERE, though it will be coming later to PC, Mac, iPhone, and Android.
